President Connolly tells pupils the Irish language is 'a gift' during first official school visit
President Catherine Connolly meeting pupils during a visit to Gaelscoil Inse Chor in Kilmainham, Dublin. Picture: Damien Eagers/PA Wire
President Catherine Connolly has attended her first public events since her inauguration, telling children at a Dublin gaelscoil that the Irish language is “a gift.”
Ms Connolly visited Gaelscoil Inse Chór in Dublin on Wednesday morning, meeting staff and pupils and highlighting the Irish language — a cornerstone of her campaign.
Ms Connolly, who learned Irish as an adult, said Gaelscoil Inse Chór is “an exemplary school.” She said students without any Irish arrive at the school and are immersed in the language before being taught English in first class.
The President was cheered by name as she entered the school and stopped to meet some children from the adjoining naíonra. She answered questions from students, including what her favourite food is and how many solos she can do.
"I can do around 10, but I used to be able to do a hundred," she replied in Irish, as she asked children to demonstrate their own skills to her, adding that she was "out of practice".
Ms Connolly told a group of children that school principal Colm Ó Nualláin had informed her that “níl aon obair bhaile anocht.”
She also met the school’s eco committee and chess players and listened to students perform an Irish-language version of
Addressing the staff and students in Irish, she said that during the election campaign she had been accused of misusing the language, something she said she had never done in life.
She said Irish is both an advantage and "a gift", giving people a different perspective on life as it is a language infused with hope and nature.
"For too long we have looked upon Irish as if it was a problem. It is not a problem, it is a complete gift."
Ms Connolly told the children that bilingualism gives people the courage and ability to learn other languages.
She added that, while she is president, she will do her best to promote the language “at every level” and to “bring it in from the edge.”
She said the world is “in trouble” due to climate change, wars and genocide, and that there is a need to build on language skills in both Irish and English to address those challenges. She referred to a policy document on the Irish language in schools published two weeks ago, saying she would go back and read it.
She said the issue had been treated like an “afterthought,” and her aim is to put Irish at “the centre of the marketplace.”
"I promised three projects: one in relation to people with disabilities, another one in relation to young people - to open the Áras to these projects - and the third one in relation to the Irish language and there will be a year of celebration for the Irish language and you will be a part of it."
Before departing to visit a resource centre in Trim, Co Meath, and later engagements in Co Galway, Ms Connolly also met students from the nearby St John of God Special School. Staff and pupils had lined the road to wave her off, but the presidential motorcade stopped so that Ms Connolly and Mr McEnery could get out and meet them in person.
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